Submitted

Fri, Feb 14th 2014 07:35 pm

On
Thursday, Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-C-I-Lewiston, called on the Assembly
Majority to pass the Public Assistance Integrity Act to protect taxpayers and
prevent the state from losing $120 million in federal funding.

The federal
government has mandated that states pass measures that prevent welfare
recipients from using welfare money at liquor stores, casinos, strip clubs and
other similar establishments, or lose federal funding for welfare programs. The
State Senate has already passed this legislation, and the deadline for the
Assembly to pass it or risk losing funding is Feb. 21.

"The
deadline to pass the Public Assistance Integrity Act is fast approaching. If we
don't pass this, we hurt taxpayers who are forced to pay for welfare abuse, as
well as honest families who need public assistance, since there would be less
money available to them," Ceretto said. "This is a bipartisan, common-sense
bill that strengthens our public assistance system. I call on the Assembly to
pass it and protect both public assistance recipients and hard-working
taxpayers."

Right
now, New York state law does not place limits on how or where electronic
benefit transfer cards can be used. EBT Cards are similar to debit cards that
are given to public assistance recipients. Without measures to stop their use
at ATMs inside casinos or strip clubs, welfare abusers are free to withdraw
money and use it for illicit purposes. The Obama administration has recognized
this problem and will withhold federal funding for public assistance programs
that do not make these reforms. In New York's case, $120 million could be lost
if this is not passed by Feb. 21.